Packing-press.



No. 743,844. PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

N'. L. ELLIOTT.

. PACKING PRESS.

APPLIUATION 21mm NOV 26. 1902 2 sums-sum 2.

N0 MQDEL,

Q/Vmmm WM atmwg m5 mums zrsns co. morauma. wnsmur-mm a c.

' UNITED STATES Patented November 10, 1903.

. PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL L. ELLIOTT, OF HUTOHINSON, KANSAfi ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. SMITH, OF HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

PACKING-PRESS.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 02 743,844, dated November 1 1903- Application filed November 26 1902- Serial No. 132,953. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL L. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State of Kansas,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing-Presses; and I do declare the following to be afuli, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a press for compressing fruit or articles in boxes, barrels, or crates.

In preparing apples and other fruit for shipment and cold storage it is necessary that they should be tightly packed to prevent bruising and other injury caused by rough handling. This is done by filling the box or crate a little above the top of the same and forcing the lid or cover down upon the fruit to firmly compact the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of simple construction for performing this work in an efficient and expeditious manner.

With this and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my packing-press, showing a box in position and the foot-lever depressed to force the cover or lid down upon the top of the box. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a Vertical cross-sectional view taken upon the plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a similar view taken upon the plane indicated by the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a table or support consisting of the top 2, properly braced and supported by the four legs 3. The box or crate 4, containing the fruit or articles to be compressed, is adapted to be supported upon the top of the table between the end guide-strips 5 and the back strip 6. The cover or lid 7 of the box 4 is adapted to be drawn down upon the top of the box by the depression of the swinging clamps or arms 8, which are pivoted to the hook or eyebolts 9 upon the end or cross bars 10 of a vertically-sliding frame 11, located upon the under side of the table. Said sliding frame 11 consists of the cross-bars 10, secured upon each end of the longitudinal connecting-bar 12,which is guided in slots 13, formed in the cross-braces it upon the bottom of the table. The loops or U-shaped arms 8 swing in front and rear longitudinal slots 15 15 in the top of the table and have their upward-swinging movement limited by theback strip 6, which projects across the rear slots 15*. When not in engagement with the box and its cover, the loops swing or drop down to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 1 and rest upon the end braces 16, secured upon the bottom of the table.

The sliding frame 11 is held in its normal or elevated position by the coil-spring 17, which is confined between the longitudinal bar-'12 of the frame 11 and the bracket 18, fixed upon the under side of the top of the table. The said spring is guided by and surrounds the stem or rod 19, which is carried by the bar 12 and slides in an opening in said bracket 18. p

The sliding frame 1]. is depressed by means of the foot-lever or treadle 20, which is pivoted to the arms 21, depending from the crossbraces 14, and which is connected to the crosspressed, is placed upon the topof the table between the guide-strips5 and 6. The lid or cover 7 is then placed upon the same, and the swinging loops or arms 8 are swung up to a ,vertical position over the box and its'cover.

Upon the depression of the foot -lever or treadle the sliding frame 11- and the loops or arms 8 Will be drawn down. This movement of the loops 8 will force the lid or cover 7 down upon the top of the box 4 and press or compact the contents of the same. The lid or cove-r may then be nailed or otherwise secured in place. When the foot is removed from the lever or treadle 20, the coil-spring 17 will elevate the same, the sliding frame 11, and the loops or arms 8, and the latter will then drop out of the Way to either side of the box 4, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, to permit the removal of the box.

WVhile I have illustrated in the drawings a press for compressing fruit or articles of any description in rectangular boxes, it will be understood that with slight changes the same may be adapted for closing and packing crates, barrels, and boxes of any size and shape.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without re- Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv A press of the class described, comprising a table having longitudinal slots, cross-bars 16, intersecting the slots, end strips 5 and a back guide-strip 6 on the upper side of the table-top, said strip 6 lying on one of the slots, between the ends thereof; a vertically-movable frame under the table-top, guides and operating devices therefor, and clamps 8, pivotally connected to the movable frame and extending through and operating in the slots of the table-top, the cross-bars 16 and strip 6 forming stops to limit the pivotal movement of the said clamps,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHANIEL L. ELLIOTT. Witnesses:

LEAH DE Cow, M. MUNDELL. 

